Monex-Owned Coincheck to Acquire Paris Crypto Prime Brokerage Firm

Coincheck, acquired by Monex Group, is stepping beyond its home market in Japan with a deal that could reshape its global footprint. The crypto exchange’s holding company, Coincheck Group N.V., has signed an agreement to acquire Paris-based Aplo SAS, a digital asset prime brokerage serving institutional clients.

Expanding Into Europe

According to the company, the transaction, set to close in October 2025, will see Aplo shareholders exchange their stakes for newly issued Coincheck Group shares. The deal marks Coincheck’s first acquisition outside Japan and reflects its broader strategy of building both retail and institutional businesses across global markets.

Coincheck Group to acquire Aplo. Under the agreement, all issued and remaining shares of Aplo are to be traded for newly issued ordinary shares of Coincheck Group https://t.co/lloNRqfucn #fundadmin #Custody pic.twitter.com/wKpVd50B6d

“Aplo brings us proven technology, expertise recognized by institutional clients in Europe, and a high-performance team with an entrepreneurial culture,” said Gary Simanson, CEO of Coincheck Group.

Founded in 2019, Aplo is a digital asset trading infrastructure. The company serves more than 60 active institutional clients, including hedge funds, banks, and asset managers. Its platform combines algorithmic execution with access to deep liquidity.

Aplo’s Institutional Footprint

Both companies plan to expand Aplo’s product offering and scale its platform globally. Areas of focus include financing solutions such as cross-margining, broader liquidity access, and new B2B2C services for banks interested in offering crypto products to customers.

The firms will also examine whether Aplo can contribute liquidity to some of Coincheck’s altcoin markets. All four of Aplo’s founders will remain with the company after the acquisition closes.

Related: Monex Group Weighs Yen-Backed Stablecoin, Plans European Crypto Acquisition

Monex Group recently hinted at the acquisition while confirming it is weighing plans to issue a yen-pegged stablecoin. Chairman Oki Matsumoto said in a TV Tokyo interview that the group is in final talks to acquire a European crypto-related company and stressed that moving into stablecoins is essential to stay competitive.

Yen-Pegged Digital Currency

Matsumoto said Monex is considering a stablecoin backed by Japanese government bonds and redeemable one-to-one with the yen. Potential applications include international remittances and corporate settlements. The group expects to leverage its crypto exchange Coincheck and Monex Securities brokerage to support the project.

“Issuing a stablecoin requires significant scheming and capital, but if we don’t handle it, we won’t be able to keep up with the times,” Matsumoto said.

Monex acquired Coincheck in 2018 in a deal valued at ¥360 million ($33.5 million). The group said the takeover underscored the growing importance of blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies in the financial sector.